Netanyahu: “Israel Must Prepare For Any Outcome in Egypt”
Netanyahu Speaking Before Knesset (astuteblogger.blogspot.com)
Israel seems to have nuanced its stance on Egypt as Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset with the warning that the country must be prepared for any outcome of the current riots.
If Egypt embraces democracy and democratic reforms, the PM said, it is welcome as a neighbor, but it is also possible that it would become a country under a fundamentalist regime.
Fearing that Egypt could come to be ruled by forces that are tied to the regime in Tehran, the Israeli PM said that it could become another Gaza, a country where everything the Western democracy stands for is disrespected.
Netanyahu and Mubarak (news.xinhuanet.com)
“Our stand is clear,” he said, “we support all forces that promote freedom, peace and progress.”
Israel opposes all forces that seek to enforce dark despotism, terrorism and war. At the same time, the Jewish state expects the democratic forces in Egypt, if they win, to make sure they respect the 30-year peace with Israel that was upheld by the incumbent president.
Netanyahu said Israel expected its neighboring country to honor peace, and expected the international community to ask Egypt to honor peace.
He added that additional steps would be taken to ensure the prosperity and development of live conditions for Palestinians, asking the President of the Palestinian Authority to sit and talk about unconditional peace.
A Hezbollah terrorist, Sami Chehab, was reported on Thursday to have escaped prison in Egypt and returned home. He had been accused of plotting against Israel.
This new stance of Israel on the matter comes after Israel supported the idea of keeping Mubarak in office as a guarantee of peace and stability in the region.
Since the situation has gone in Egypt to a point of no return, the attention of the Israeli government turns to the refusal of both Mohamed ElBaradei and Muslim Brotherhood, the most serious candidates for the succession to power in Egypt, to talk with the new government before the incumbent president has left power.11
